Shane MacGowan was probably a week or so, one way or the other, from being truly Irish - i.e. actually born on the Emerald Isle. His parents were both Irish, they just happened to be visiting relatives in Kent at Christmas in 1957, when the infant Shane arrived.
He spent his first six years growing up in rural Tipperary, and as we know, he would become the voice of the Anglo-Irish, the Irish diaspora in London (and beyond), and the voice of anyone who liked a joyful, emotional, melancholic (drunken) whirl of punk and Irish folk.
So, this time we take our geographical themed playlists to Ireland - and we will be straying both sides of the border.
And, we will begin with a bonus track, since The Pogues were North London Irish and don't quite qualify (although, as you will see, there are a few other bands in the list that bend the rule a little).
The Pogues: Sally MacLennane
(Live on The Tube, January 1985)
1. U2: I Will Follow
We will start with a bang - from Ireland's biggest musical export. I Will Follow became the second single from debut record, Boy, released in October 1980. It was Bono's tribute to his mother, who died when he was 14. All of his rage was poured into getting Edge to play that distinctive riff with ever more force. Cutlery rubbing on the spinning spokes of a bicycle and smashing bottles were also recorded by producer Steve Lillywhite, to add more colour. For everyone that thinks U2 are some over the top rock band too far up their own behinds - listen to those first three albums and dig out some of their early live performances - there were not many more blistering post punk acts around in the early 80s.
(Live at Red Rocks, Colorado - 1983)
2. Power Of Dreams: 100 Ways To Kill A Live
Possibly quite an apt way to follow U2, as PoD were tipped to be the next big thing out of Dublin as the 80s gave way to the 90s. They were still teenagers, yet Immigrants, Emmigrants & Me is one of the greatest debut albums I have ever heard - full of raw emotion, cynical social commentary and beautiful power. Oh, and there are a few catchy tunes on it too, including this one.
(Fan video)
3. Van Morrison: Brown Eyed Girl
Now, Van Morrison has perhaps not covered himself in as much glory in recent years. Not content with fostering his long-time reputation as a cantankerous old git, he decided to become a beacon for anti-Covid lockdown believers (although he denied he was strictly anti-vax). But, if we can cast that descent into stupidity aside for one moment, we can remember that he is one of the finest songwriters to ever come out of the island. Brown Eyed Girl was one of eight songs produced in one March 1967 session in New York City, following the break up of Them the previous year. Billboard were moved to say that it was "a grrovy piece of original rock material that should fast establish [Morrison] as a top disk seller and writer."
(Live at the BBC - 2016)
4. That Petrol Emotion: Big Decision
Although they had an American singer in Steve Mack, the band was fully based on a Northern Irish core - including the O'Neill brothers (John and Damian) from Derry legends The Undertones. They bubbled along for five albums, fusing together garagey post-punk with more up to date dance grooves. They definitely took on more adult themes than The Undertones ever had, and delved more overtly into the politics of their country. Despite huge levels of critical acclaim, Big Decision (from second album, Babble) was their biggest hit, only reaching 42 on the UK chart.
(Live on The Tube)
5. Sultans Of Ping FC: Where's Me Jumper?
Cork's Sultans Of Ping FC burst onto the indie scene with this song, in early 1992. It is an amusing tune, but don't write it off as a novelty record! It appeared on their debut, Casual Sex In The Cineplex. The song later cropped up as the theme for Chris O'Dowd's comedy Moone Boy, and the closing song in 2016 Irish film, The Young Offenders. It was, apparently, based on a real event - at a Nottingham nightclub, although the actual missing garment was in fact a cardigan.
(Official video)
6. Microdisney: Town To Town
Another Cork band, this one forming in 1980 with song writers Cathal Coughlan and Sean O'Hagan, who signed for Rough Trade in 1983. Their pinnacle was perhaps the 1985 album, The Clock Comes Down The Stairs, from which Town To Town comes. They would split up in 1988, with O'Hagan going on to play with acclaimed Irish band The High Llamas, while Coughlan would join Fatima Mansions, and later The North Sea Scrolls (with Luke Haines of The Auteurs). They would reform in 2018, although Coughlan sadly passed away in 2022.
(Remastered official music video)
7. Energy Orchard: Sailortown
This was the band that brought Bap Kennedy to the attention of many in music circles, though unfortunately not to a wider audience. Sailortown was the second single from their debut (eponymously titled) album - a delicate rock song which skids along, propelled by Paul Toner's guitar licks and Kevin Breslin's celtic sounding keyboards. Kennedy would go onto work, as a peer, with the likes of Steve Earle and Mark Knopfler, before his sad passing in 2016. That first album, and especially this song, is a good way to remember how talented a song writer he was.
(Live on German TV - 1990)
8. Inhaler: My Honest Face
Inhaler formed at Dublin's Blackrock College in 2012, although the name wasn't finally settled on until 2015. They released their first string of singles across 2019 and 2020, culminating in being voted fifth in the BBCs Sound of 2020 poll. The following year saw their Covid delayed debut, It Won't Always Be Like This, finally released. The lead singer said that My Honest Face is a song about finding your feet and discovering your stage persona. Talking of the lead singer - can you tell by listening to him, who his famous father is? Whether you work that out or not, this is a great slice of 80s-ish indie pop.
(Live from Somewhere - 2021)
9. The Undertones: My Perfect Cousin
As AllMusic noted, The Undertones, "mated infectious guitar hooks to 1960s garage, 1970s glam rock, and Feargal Sharkey's signature vocal quaver." Early gig venues included Scout huts, as Sharkey was a Scout leader so had some influence when it came to booking. From the moment he got their rough demo of Teenage Kicks, through to his 2004 death, John Peel remained their staunchest supporter, and Kicks his favourite all time song (which despite its fame, never actually made the Top30). That said, I have picked My Perfect Cousin, a song actually about one of the band's cousins and the first release from second album, Hypnotised.
(Live on The Something Else show - 1980)
10. Stiff Little Fingers: Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster was released as a single in 1978, and included on their memorable debut Inflammable Material, the following year. It was an explosive song about the boredom and strife of being a teenager in Northern Ireland in the late 70s. While The Undertones were accused of ignoring the troubles, SLF were sometimes accused of talking about it too much. When asked in a 2007 interview, whether Teenage Kicks was the best song about being a teenager, Bono replied, "My soundtrack was more Alternative Ulster by Stiff Little Fingers."
(Live on Rockpalast, German TV - 1980)